What led you to the master’s in Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)?
It’s a long story! I took a semester abroad in my junior year of college, and my professor in Switzerland told me to look into teaching abroad. I graduated a semester early, and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I didn’t want to stay home for what looked like indefinitely and ended up getting TESOL certified in a month, signed my contract, and moved to South Korea all within six months of the pandemic. While teaching, I fell in love with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and a non-traditional classroom. While debating re-signing my contract, I was accepted into McDaniel and moved home!
Why McDaniel?
It offered courses entirely online. When I was looking at the classes, I was interested in all of them, and I didn’t feel like they were filler credits.
What did you like most about your program?
My professors! They were wonderful and completely understanding that I was working full time and were willing to modify assignments based on the resources I had.
What are your overall career goals?
I am currently working as an ESOL teacher in Baltimore County schools! I can see myself in the classroom for another 10 years, then I hope to move to more administrative or even college-level work.
What inspires you?
During graduation, I wore my stole that said, “First female master’s recipient,” in reference to my family. I am so grateful to the women before me, paving the way for myself and other women. Watching my mother study at the kitchen table and hearing stories of my grandmother caring for young children while earning her degree, I knew I also had the mental fortitude to follow in their footsteps. Because of the women who have fought for equal education and rights for generations, I was able to become the first woman in my family to earn a master’s degree. During my studies, I also bought a home and helped pilot the ESOL program at my school. #GirlPower
